Jonathan Greene sits down with Joe Rinderknecht, multifamily investor and co-founder of Cowboy Capital, to explore how he built a real estate portfolio by staying curious, solving problems, and building long-term relationships with owners. Joe shares how he broke into multifamily with seller financing, how he used subject-to strategies to help owners avoid foreclosure, and why empathy has become foundational to his investing style. Jonathan and Joe also explore the lessons learned from managing smaller properties, scaling into larger ones, and developing the operational discipline needed to create durable performance.

Throughout the conversation, Joe explains how he approached deal structure early in his career, the importance of understanding seller pain points, and how his "word is bond" philosophy continues to shape the way he raises capital and works with investors now. He also reflects on partnership dynamics, risk tolerance, and the evolution from doing everything yourself to delegating, documenting, and building systems that allow a team to grow.

Listeners will walk away with a grounded reminder that momentum in real estate often comes from doing the right thing—helping people, thinking long-term, and being willing to learn from every deal, no matter the size.

• How Joe got into multifamily through seller financing and why creative structures helped him get started without traditional barriers.

• The subject-to foreclosure story that shaped Joe's understanding of empathy, negotiation, and long-term relationship building.

• Why smaller properties became Joe's training ground for learning asset management, communication, and systems.

• How Joe's risk tolerance shifted over time and how partnership dynamics supported that growth.

• The importance of documentation, checklists, and processes as a business scales.

• Why Joe believes relationships—not deals—are the real foundation of a sustainable real estate career.

If you enjoy the show, please follow Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing on Apple Podcasts and leave a rating and review. It helps other listeners discover these conversations and supports the show's growth.

Connect with Joe:

Website: https://cowboycapital.us/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cowboycapital.us2025

Facebook: http://facebook.com/joe.rinderknecht

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joe_rinder

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joerinderknecht/

Connect with Jonathan:

Website - www.streamlined.properties

YouTube - www.youtube.com/c/JonathanGreeneRE/videos

Instagram - www.instagram.com/trustgreene

Instagram - www.instagram.com/streamlinedproperties

Zillow - www.zillow.com/profile/streamlinen​j

Bigger Pockets - www.biggerpockets.com/users/jonathangreene

Facebook - www.facebook.com/streamlinedproperties

Email - info@streamlined.properties

This episode was produced by Outlier Audio.